Program Note
Bonnie, who makes a living running a food truck, carries the burden of unpleasant memories intertwined with her mother’s death during the Hungry Ghost Festival. One night, after finishing work, she meets her uncle and briefly chats with him. When she returns to her hometown, she realizes that her uncle was dead, and she had been chatting to his ghost. Bonnie is now faced with the task of saving her mother’s restless spirit, who has transformed into a hungry ghost, while dealing with the failing family business, her long-desired relationship with her father, and the upcoming Hungry Ghost Festival.
Director CHO We Jun builds a drama of resolving past grievances among family members based on the customs of ghost month in the Chinese-speaking area, where the spirits of the deceased are said to visit the living in the month of July, when empty seats and meticulously prepared meals are provided for them. The film’s perspective, sometimes comic and sometimes full of warm empathy, brings a unique touch that distinguishes it from typical horror movies that portray ghosts as objects of fear. At the same time, it serves as an emotional appeal to the universal theme of family. (CHO Jaewhee)